Gratitude Leaves: Thanksgiving Tradition (Free Printable)

There are some traditions that are timeless, and the Leaves of Gratitude is an incredibly meaningful tradition.

We can never show enough gratitude toward each other, and the purpose of this simple tradition is to add to the splendor of the Thanksgiving meal by celebrating a grateful heart.

There are many ways you may create your own tradition using this theme of gratitude.

Place a paper leaf on each plate and ask everyone to take a quiet moment before the meal begins and write at least two things he/she is grateful for on the leaf.

Have everyone then hang the leaf on a small tree used as a centerpiece, or pile them in a small bowl or basket. Just before dessert, share what is written on the leaves. Make the moment even more special by dimming the lights and holding hands. The more often we express out loud what we are thankful for, the more everyone around us will know just exactly how much we really love and appreciate him/her.

We extend this tradition throughout November by placing the “Thanksgiving Tree” in the middle of our table as a centerpiece. My husband and I desire to cultivate a daily mindset of gratitude – thankfulness even in the smallest of details of life.

It’s easy to express gratitude once a year at Thanksgiving for family and friends, but by cultivating an attitude of gratitude all year long, we begin to see a broader view of the many blessings we each have been given (even when it doesn’t “feel” like it). Begin a Thanksgiving Tree on November 1st and continue adding to it each day through Thanksgiving.

After Thanksgiving is finished, collect the leaves and place them in a Thanksgiving book. Bring it out every year to reminisce on the many years of blessings.

Your family may desire to get crafty and create your own Gratitude Tree.

Every year my sister in love does a huge one. She cuts out a full size tree (it covers their whole sliding glass deck door), and they write people’s names that they are thankful for along the trunk and branches, and then they add specific items on their cut out leaves.
The key to this is thinking outside the box; try and engage the older children into thinking further than “I am thankful for food, my family, my house.”
How about modeling specific things such as, ” I am thankful for the farmers who work tirelessly with no guarantees of a successful crop.”

the thankful tree is such a great idia and me and my family did doit this year, well today! we did do it a little bit differt than you explaied to do it. but we still had a lot of fun with it! thank yolu for such a great idia!!!!

Emma

P.S. I am 11 years old and am very creative and that is why i love your idia!!!

Thank you so much for the printable s I was ask to bake pumpkin, bread for our fall buffet and I
thought what a great idea to attach a leaf to each little cake and then everyone could drop them
in a basket if they like. Thanks again, it also let my foster boys help they cut them out. Joy